Let us resolve to fight corruption: DVVS Verma

“Should we learn to live with the menace of corruption or resolve to bury it once and for all?”

Every citizen has to grapple with the question at this turning point in India’s history, said Lok Satta Party Working President D. V. V. S. Varma here today.

Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag on the 65th Independence Day at the party headquarters, Mr. Varma said that corruption has become the centerpiece of politics now.

The Lok Satta Party believes in fighting corruption from Delhi to the galli. A Lokpal at the national level cannot address corruption at the State, district, municipal, and panchayat levels. The Lokpal Bill should also provide for constitution of strong and independent Lokayuktas in States and ombudsmen in districts.

Mr. Varma took exception to Government and ruling party representatives heaping corruption charges against Gandhian Anna Hazare shortly before he is to go on an indefinite fast. The allegations betray the impatience of the Government with the fighters against corruption, he said.

The PFL had the distinction of conducting the Dandi march-II, a 240-mile walk against corruption, in March 2011.

Wearing white T Shirts and Gandhi caps and waving Indian flags, NRIs in New Jersey took part in the parade. Undeterred by heavy rain, they shouted slogans like "We want Jan Lokpal" and “Anna we are with you."

In Houston volunteers of several organizations like IAC, PFL, 5th Pillar and Bharat Swabhiman and NRIs gathered near the Mahatma Gandhi statue to celebrate India’s Independence Day.

Messrs Srinivas Ranabothu, Raghava Solipuram, Sravanthi Yelamanchili, Manasa Mahathi, Srihari Atluri, and Bhimesh Reddy took the lead in organizing the parades in different US cities.